A very busy July

Wow July came and went without a post. All I can say is it has been one very busy July.

I never even had a chance to post about our day trip to Vail for the yearly Lacrosse shot out, which was the last Saturday in June, so I will start there. Hang tight because this will be a very long post mainly because of all the pictures to come.

On June 25th we drove up to Vail, it's only about an hour and half drive there and this time had my older sister Terri and dad along which was nice. We spent the day walking through Vail village eating yummy cheap food and then enjoyed watching some of our lil man's mini games.


Vail Village with the stunning peaks for a nice touch.


I think our Pea has watched one too many Disney movies. Wonder what she is really thinking?


Pea and auntie Whitney spent some time on the teeter taughter.


Twirling and happy right before she fell off.


So auntie Whitney decided to give it a try. She enjoyed it.


Swing time.


Now time for some fun competition. Note our lil man has red socks on - that is how too keep track.


My dad, enjoying the game and sunshine.


Lil man waiting for the game to start.


On our way back, these are just some of the amazing views you see along I-70.


Watch for falling rocks.


Nice water fall between those rocks.


Everyone passes this though Idaho Springs; I finally just took a picture.


I loved this wind mill amongst all the green. We have had a lot of rain this summer it's still green and pretty!



Lastly the famous spaceship house!


That ends June.

Bring on the busiest July!

Lets say it didn't start too great. The Thursday before the 4th, Jason's truck died, mainly because he thought he was an electrical genius and attempted to put in some unit that would give him slightly more HP. We had to get it towed to the house where he attempted to fix it, which did nothing. So that Saturday the tow truck was back to tow it to the garage. Can you believe we didn't get it back till Thursday the 14th. Yep 2 weeks, after a week of working from home we realized who knows when we will get the truck back so my mom loaned us her car for the next 4 days.

Here is a picture of Jason's defeat the day it was being towed to the garage.



During this time we had 2 BBQs to attend on the same day. One at to celebrate my dad's 60th, which was back in March, there just was never a right time back then. So we stopped by for some great food and sing happy birthday.



Next was to stop off at my mom's to celebrate my little sisters 16th birthday. WOW time flies. I spent our time there grilling and visiting with friend and family it was a great time as well.


There she is the birthday girl with our lil man and sweet Matthew.


Pea with the beautiful Hulbert girls. She loves them!


Here I am behind the grill! I really do enjoy grilling!

My mom still had food to grill like pork chops and buffalo burgers we went back the next day for more great food!

Since her birthday was actually on Monday you know what we all did, because birthday's last a week in my family, we met them all for dinner at the famous Casa Bonita. I can remember as a kid going here a few times with my mom and dad and loved it. I don't recall their food being as bad as it is, but the atmosphere is great. Us vatos know to stay away from their Mexican food and stick with the gringo food. So all of us had either the chicken fried steak or fried chicken meal and it was not too bad. They still have very good sopaipillas, but holy expensive.


Here is Casa Bonita in all it's glory.


Kids are pretty excited!


Ah yes this is one of the many faces of a pre-teen, lip draggin. I am so not looking forward to 13 through 16.


But here is the happy lil man that makes my heart melt.



This is about as civil as it was going to get.


Then this occurs. She is so mean to him, makes me sad, but I am looking forward to the day he is her best friend.


This is where the puppet show is put on.


The exit to from the scary tunnel. Pea didn't like it, I loved it when I was little.


My beautiful grandmother and beautiful mom!


He is entering the scary tunnel. I sure hope he makes it out.


Ahhh yes...this is where where you get to see the cliff divers. I believe they were putting on a show here. See the lady below in the water.


Oh yes...the yummy sopaipillas.


Here they are hitting the pinata. Kids love this stuff.


For some reason this is what I really remember as a little girl; leaving and this ballon machine was right along the area where you exit. The ballon inflates and has a string attached when it comes out, I loved this.


Here it comes sting and all.


And last thing before you leave.


Our Pea leaving with ballon in hand.


The next Saturday the 16th we went to my boss Gene's house for a BBQ with our Channel team. Before he was my boss I would consider him a friend and love his wife and son; they are great so it was nice to hang out with him and his family as well as co-workers outside of work. More great food was enjoyed and I can quickly feel my waistline expanding.

I have no pictures from this day but it was a good time.

The weekend of the 23rd, Jason went for a hike up South Boulder in the morning. I stayed home with the kids, watched some He-Man with Pea and just relaxed before we headed out. Up on this days agenda was a get together with my old drama/english teacher, there were about 7 of us that came out for BBQ and swimming since she has a pool. It was great to see her, she was pretty dear to me in my HS years and I lost contact with her when I was around 21, but facebook does wonders. So it was another great weekend spent eating and catching up.

I can't believe I have no pictures from this evening with them, but maybe next year when we do it again.

Finally I am up to this past weekened. We took the kids camping with my sisters, dad and Maria for the 1st time and what a great time. Jason and I worked half days so my sister took the kids up with her, but no suprise we only were behind them by about 20 minutes.

We stayed at the Blue Mesa RV and Cabins near Gunnision, CO. It is about a 4 hour drive there, but not a bad drive at all. We grilled burgers and hot dogs on the fire the first night, enjoyed the camp fire, drinks, and smores of course. Then looked up and saw the amazing stars, or as Pea calls them, twinkles.

Saturday we went into town and bought steaks and more things to stuff ourselves with and when my dad made his way back, he went fishing, we started up the fire and grilled us some steaks and another great night.

Sunday we were out all day. We mainly were planning on spending the day fishing, but the lake we went to was 14 miles up a dirt road that took about 40 minutes to get up. Once we got to the top we discovered we have to hike 1/2 miles up to get to the lake. So off we went hiking up this mountain, we kept going and going with fishing pools, bags of food, Pea, my sister in FLIP FLOOPS, when you hear the older kids, Jason and Maria, who were all ahead, all yelling at the same time that we had to go back. The lake was the one we had passed driving up, there was no lake ahead after we had probably hiked a mile in already. Needless to say it was a 2 mile 2 hour waste of day, but I personally enjoyed it since I love to hike. Just not with a 4 year old who has boundless energy and probably goes more then 2 miles a day with all she does but couldn't muster the energy to walk up and down this trail.

So anyway we found our way to the lake and fished and ate for about an hour before the rain started. So off we went down the mountain to find a fishing spot. Which we did and spent about 3 hours there. When we were done we packed up and headed to a little resturante on boat dock area and had dinner there. By the time we got back to the cabins we were all so tired but made it a point to sit around the camp fire one last time.

Monday morning came and it was time to pack up and head home. We were home by 3:00 and into a house that smelled so bad. We have made a mental note to be sure to take out the trash before we leave on a trip. I recall I dummped hamburger meat in the trash Thursday or Wednesday night, so imagine that rotting in your trash for that long in a hot house, since we had the AC turned off. Not good!

So this has been our family adventures for the past month. It has been a blast and can say we have made some great memories.

Here are the many pictures from our camping trip.


As we came over Monarch Pass and down this is pretty much what you saw. Hills with this sage brush. As we reached Gunnision it was almost Arizona like, I guess is the way I would explain it. Not much trees or green.


We arrived to see Kai removing some of the pokey brush along the trail to our campsite.


Auntie Terri and Pea getting aquainted with their cabin. She slept with her the whole time.


Dad and my sister Terri.


She must have went back and forth non-stop between our cabins.


My dad, Terri, Whitney and Oliva checking out the surroundings.


Look at that cutie. Walking back to the cabin from swimming. This is the road leading to our cabins. The showers are just to the left of Pea, so not far from our cabin.


Our two cabins for the 3 nights.


Always curious Pea. She so reminds me of me in this picture. I can remember these same things with my dad her age, we were always camping when I was little.


My dad is making us some dinner over the camp fire. Pea is playing near the creek.


Attempting to fish in the creek. Not working out.


Me and my Pea...look at the bottom of her pants and shoes. Oh yes she was sitting in the creek/mud thinking it was swim time, just lovely.


My older sister Terri and Jason enjoying their drinks by the camp fire.


The ones who would much rather be txting, playing on iPads, listening to music or just not anywhere near adults. Oh this age!!!


My eyes! Sheilding myself from smoke and sparkes coming my way.


That's my daddy.


Me and my dad. He calls me Short Stop since I was little.


Maria and my dad.


Terri, me, my dad and Maria having a great time.


My dad and Jason kicking back enjoying their cold ones.


Pea is counsling me here because I almost fell into the little creek while taking pictures.


Laughing because their marshmellows are on fire.


Terri and Jason are enjoying those smores.


Pea is getting her marshmellow ready.


Watching intently on how this is going to work.


Taste test...she loved it, mainly because there was chocolate involved.


My turn to get a taste of these delicious smores.


My dad & Maria settling in with Alley and Lori.


Showing the ladies some love.


I forgot the kids went horse back riding on the camp site.


Before they saddled up they fed the horses. Auntie Whitney is showing Pea how it is done.


Our brave little girl had no problems on her own.


Whitney and Oliva are now feeding the dominate male horse, he was mean.


Sweet tender heated lil man.


Lil man on his horse and here is auntie Whitney on hers.


This is what Pea was doing while she waited for them to leave.


Lil man is ready.


Off they went and Pea was sad she couldn't go.


I guess they call this a Mesa? Since there was a sign there that says Anatomy of a Mesa. But you see a lot of this west of Gunnision.


Distant view.


Blue Mesa reservour. It is about 20 miles long and over 100 miles of shoreline so they say it is the largest body of water in Colorado.


Bruin puppy had a great time.


Pea coming back from the other cabin.


Oh yes, keep those mosiqtios away.


It is time for some steaks and chicken kabobs for Jason.


Chillin by the camp fire.


The lake we passed and realized 2 miles later that this was the lake we were supposed to fish at.


Look at the burnt branches all along the green and wild flowers. There was a filed of them on the way up to our lake.


Grandpo getting lil mans fishing pole ready.


My spot before I started to take pictures.



Lil man is fishing.


Dad helping his son cast his line.


Whitney's now fishing.


Grandpo is now getting Pea's pole ready.


Grandpo is now about to help her for the first time fish.


She is on her own.


Lil man and Pea both fishing!


Time to eat and get away from the bugs.


My daddy after getting everyone elses fishing poles ready he is finally able to fish himself. One of his favorite things to do.


After the kids were done they thought it was a good idea to get on in.


Here he is enjoying his fishing.



View from the fishing spot.


Pea is at it again.


After the very long day we had we stopped at Pappy's for dinner.


Monarch Pass was amazing, I only wish I would've got a picture of it as soon as you come up over. This picture really does it no justice.


Can you say PASS OUT! Lil man and Bruin enjoyed the drive home.

TA DA!!! You made it. PHEW trust me this has taken me all night. If you are still with me yea! Hope you enjoyed our month as much as we did. Next up is school and I will make a post about this soon, since we are about to embark on a whole ne school and adventure. Stay tuned.